On the rise: New poll indicates Trump's approval ratings are edging up
A new national poll released this week is one of the first to indicate a bump up in President Donald Trump's approval ratings after a steady edging down in the president's numbers since he returned to office in January.
Trump stands at 44% approval and 52% disapproval in a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted Monday and Tuesday (May 12-13). The president's approval rating edged up two points – which is within the survey's sampling error – from the previous Reuters/Ipsos national survey, which was in the field late last month.
US-CHINA TRADE TRUCE IGNITES STOCK MARKETS
Likely fueling the modest increase in the president's overall approval rating is his performance on the economy. The new poll indicates 39% of adults nationwide give Trump a thumbs up on how he is handling the economy, up three points from last month.
The new poll was conducted amid this week's surge in the stock markets following a truce between the U.S. and China in their tariff standoff, and in the wake of last week's signing of an initial trade deal with the United Kingdom – which is the first since Trump implemented massive tariffs on friends and foes across the globe six weeks ago.
WHAT'S IN THE TRADE TRUCE WITH CHINA
Trump's blockbuster tariff announcement in early April sparked a trade war with some of the nation's top trading partners and triggered a massive sell-off in the financial markets and increased concerns about a recession.
However, as Trump has partially reversed course in recent weeks by easing back on his sharpest trade moves, public concerns about recession have also slightly eased, while still remaining at heightened levels.
Sixty-nine percent questioned in the new poll said they were worried about a recession, down from 76% a month ago. Additionally, concerns about the stock market dropped seven points, to 60%.
Veteran Republican strategist Colin Reed told Fox News that the president has "been very clear-eyed about the fact that you are going to have to break some eggs to make an omelet and his voters will give him the latitude to do so.
"We’re still less than 150 days in, he’s got some time to make the hard calls that have to be made and still give the economic plane runway to take off ahead of the midterms, which is when all of these early decisions will be graded," Reed added.
WHERE TRUMP STANDS IN THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLL
Most, but not all, of the most recent national public opinion surveys indicate Trump's approval ratings in negative territory, which is a slide from the president's poll position when he started his second tour of duty in the White House nearly four months ago.
Trump stood at 44% approval and 55% disapproval in the most recent Fox News national poll, which was conducted April 18-21.
An average of the latest national surveys puts the president's approval rating underwater by around four points, but that is a slight improvement from late last month.
The economy, and inflation in particular, were pressing issues that kept former President Joe Biden's approval ratings well below water for most of his presidency, and which greatly contributed to Trump's White House victory last November.
They were behind Trump's slide in the polls so far this year.
"Trump’s return to office did not begin as he and his supporters had hoped. Campaign promises about inflation and interest rates appeared deferred while the daily news coverage focused on the many distractions plaguing the White House," longtime political scientist and analyst Wayne Lesperance noted.
However, Lesperance, president of New England College, said that "signs of progress may be emerging. Possible trade deals with Britain, China, and India are providing hope that some good may come from his tariff strategy. Add to that a rebounding stock market and lower gas prices at the start of summer vacation season and the president may see some calming of public nervousness."